Generally, in the field of wireless communication the technology of long term evolution (LTE) is being standardized by the 3GPP as a technology allowing higher bandwidth with reduced latencies, in particular in order for allowing the introduction of new services with higher data needs than offered by the available cellular networks supporting 2G (GSM, GPRS, EDGE) or 3G (UMTS, HSPA). At the same time there are tendencies of the network operators to reduce the number of maintained cellular network standards. At long sight it is expected that at least one of the legacy networks will be switched off.
This situation is of course incompatible with the growing trend of machine type communication (MTC) devices. Those devices are typically machines like vending machines or electricity meters which regularly communicate via the cellular network with remote servers, and they are preferably designed for rarely sending small amounts of data. The MTC devices are usually equipped with a wireless module incorporating all required components for conducting all signaling exercises with the cellular network they are operating in.
From a cost perspective a machine type communication device like the mentioned examples would merely be attractive if a LTE capable wireless module would be incorporated. At the same time there are by now already millions of MTC devices in the field, which would need to switch to LTE, if the supporting legacy networks would be switched off.
Hence the problem arises, that the LTE standard is designed for large data transmission and reception, both in the uplink and the downlink direction. Those data transmissions are accompanied by an amount of overhead signaling, which is merely remarkable compared to the expected amount of transmitted data of common wireless devices like mobile handsets. However, if the expected millions of MTC devices would switch to LTE standard, the present LTE capable networks would be overwhelmed with regular signaling load, in particular in the uplink direction, although the payload is extremely low. For the available LTE networks this situation would put their stability at risk, plus the cost of an increase of capacity in the cellular networks is hardly covered by the payload related income.
There is therefore a need for an adaptation of the LTE standard in order to support low cost wireless devices, in particular MTC devices, which regular send data to the LTE network components, with the goal to better use the cellular network capacities.
It is therefore the goal of present invention to overcome the addressed situation and to propose a solution for an improved uplink communication protocol between a wireless device and a LTE capable network.
Further alternative and advantageous solutions would, accordingly, be desirable in the art.